Don't Forget
by TMNTPunker
Summary: Leonardo is missing for five years and the brothers can't seem to recover from the loss and fall apart as a family. But when Leo comes back, can he fix his broken clan in time to battle their new enemies? Or will the brothers lose everything?
1. Chapter 1

((I really do apologize for the formatting issue. My internet stopped working right after I posted it, so I couldn't fix it right away. Hope you enjoy and please review. Again, I'm wicked sorry that happened.))

The smoke drifted off into the night like the fog rolling in on the bay. He wasn't sure how long he'd been there or what time it was. What he did know was the pot he'd been smoking now had him completely stoned. A violent cough ripped through his lungs after his last hit off the roach. Time to go find something to eat and quiet his grumbling stomach, even though he'd consumed dinner a couple hours earlier. He groaned as he got to his feet unsteadily, bones and joints creaking under his weight.

"Stoned again Mike?"

Mike's head snapped in the direction of the voice. How long had he been there?

"What the hell do you care, Don?"

He watched his older brother approach him from the corner of the roof; a deep frown had been permanently etched into his face for as long as Mike could remember.

"You really shouldn't be smoking that crap, Mike. You should be training instead."

Michelangelo only grunted in response as he put his satchel over his shoulder, trying to ignore the growing awkwardness.

"Who died and made you leader Don?"

A heavy silence fell between the brothers, causing Don to clear his throat.

"Well…since Raph became the city drunk and Leo disappeared. I'm struggling to keep this family from falling apart."

A rye smirk slowly tugged at the corners of Mike's mouth.

"Oh…yea trying to forget about that," sarcasm dripping off his words.

"Smoking pot isn't going to help you Mikey."

Another irritated grunt came from the younger turtle.

"It does for the most part, until you come to remind me," he said this with a glare.

Don sighed and shook his head in defeat.

"I give up Michelangelo. I honestly don't know what I can do for this family anymore. Raph is hardly home unless he's passed out in his room. And you…you act like we don't even exist! Splinter tries to talk to you and you just wave him off! He's dying you know. I'm not sure how much longer he has. God and I don't know if Leo is alive."

Mike clenched his jaw tightly, not wanting to hear another word come from Don's mouth. He stopped caring a long time ago and didn't understand why his brother insisted on thinking that he wanted to listen to him bitch.

"Ya know Don, I really don't give a shit. I wish you'd just shut up about it already! It got old five years ago." He gave Don a disgusted look, un-phased by the hurt expression on his face.

Don dropped his gaze to the ground as Michelangelo passed him.

"When will you be home?"

"When I feel like it," he called over his shoulder, heading towards the fire escape.

Don stood there for a moment before he started for the escape ladder, loneliness and defeat clinging to him as he slowly made his way down to the streets. How had it gotten so bad? He stopped asking himself what Leo would do a long time ago. He didn't have the leadership skills his brother had. Though he wished to hell he did. Raphael should be the one keeping this family whole. Not him damn it. He took in his surroundings before removing the sewer lid and disappearing under ground.

The look on Don's face crushed him. Had things really gotten that bad? When did Mikey become a stoner? Everything is so fucked now. Splinter isn't supposed to be dyin'. Leon shouldn't be missin' and Don sure as hell shouldn't be tryin' ta keep their family together all on his own. Raph sighed and ran a hand down his sweaty face, trying to figure out when the last time he'd been sober. Didn't make him feel very proud. He should be the one keeping leadership, not Donnie. And he should be the one kicking Mikey in the ass. First though he needed to kick himself in the ass. He sure as hell didn't want to know how Master Splinter felt. Fuck…alcohol is never going to bring Leon back and it sure as hell ain't gonna keep Splinter from dyin'. He pounded his fist into his open palm angrily as he pushed himself off the brick wall he'd been leaning against.

Raph dropped down on the gravel rooftop his brothers had been standing on earlier. It's time for him to get his ass in gear and get his family back together, get some discipline back into his brothers. Tomorrow the sun will bring a new day and a swift kick in the ass for Mikey.

He woke up to the pounding of footsteps above him, and wondered how long he'd been out for. New smells meant a new location, but how in the hell did that happen? When? Leo grunted as he slowly pushed himself into a sitting position, squeezing his eyes shut tightly from the pounding in his head. When the pain subsided enough he opened his eyes to look at his surroundings, it wasn't what he expected at all. The couch he was sitting on was plush leather and the carpet was thick and white. Everything was so clean and expensive looking. There were two leather chairs that matched the couch sitting across from him along with a wall full of guitars, countless very expensive guitars, which he didn't know the names of. It was a recording studio and he was sitting right in the very heart of it.

"Wow didn't think you were gonna wake up."

Leo's head snapped up at the sound of the man's voice and footsteps rapidly coming down the stairs. He gave the scrawny guy a weary look as he approached the couch.

"Uh…heh…do you-can you even understand what I'm saying?"

"Y-", Leo's voice barely came out between the rasps. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Yes perfectly. Where the hell am I?"

He looked the guy up and down more thoroughly, finding him more and more familiar. Tattoos covered his arms, a shadow of dark brown covering his chin and cheeks, short black hair and blue eyes. All the studying definitely made the guy very uncomfortable.

"Uh…well…" Ethan scratched his head as he sat down in one of the chairs across from Leo.

"You're in my basement."

"This is your basement?" Leo's eyes widened with surprise.

Ethan gave him a nervous chuckle.

"Yea I get that reaction a lot."

"Wonder why…" Leo replied under his breath as he swung his sore legs on the floor.

"So uh…are you hungry at all? I assume since you speak English you probably eat the same food that I do."

Leo only quirked an eye ridge at his question.

"I'll take that as a yes. The name's Ethan by the way", he added this as he leaned forward, extending his hand towards Leo.

Leo shook it firmly and gave him a smile.

"Leonardo but Leo is just fine. Thanks for saving me."

"Oh man not a problem at all. I'm just glad you're alive. You looked terrible when I found you."

"Where exactly did you find me?"

"In what I thought was the crate that had my amp in it."

Leo just blinked in confusion. Not entirely certain he had heard that correctly.

"You found me in a crate?"

"Yea it was crazy! I got you back here and pried open the lid and instead of my amp it was you. Thought I was in some sort of Sci Fi film or something. That or in the middle of some huge elaborate joke."

Leo frowned, deeply disturbed by this news. What the hell was he doing in a crate? In fact where exactly was his crate headed? Too many unanswered questions, something he didn't like at all.

"Where were you coming from?"

"Oh my band just got back from touring around in Europe. I guess somehow our crates were mixed up during the loading and unloading process. So whoever is getting my crate is going to be in for a surprise. That thing wasn't cheap. Though…I'm sure it's worth is nothing compared to yours?"

The second that last sentence came out of Ethan's mouth he regretted it. He was sure that was the last thing Leo wanted to hear.

"Sorry…I didn't mean to make it sound like you were something that could be bought or sold I just meant…"

Leo held up a hand to silence him. He wasn't offended by the comment at all. Just deeply troubled.

"Not worth worrying over. I just want to understand why I was in a crate headed towards Europe. This is all just…wrong. None of this makes sense."

It couldn't be the Foot; he and his brothers had wiped them out after destroying Shredder. Unless…

"What's the date today?" Leo finally looked up at Ethan with a sudden urgency.

"Uh…" he fumbled with getting his phone out of his pocket.

"Just so ya know...you weren't on your way to Europe, you had been in Europe already. Must have been headed somewhere else when the crates got switched. And it's the 14th of October."

He looked over at the turtle and finally caught the fear and worry in Leo's eyes. Obviously the date wasn't good news to him.

"What year is it?" his voice barely above a whisper now.

"2012."

Leo struggled to breath with the knowledge of that. How could it be possible? Five years has been lost and he had no idea where they had gone. What happened to him? What was done to him? Who had done this? Who could just steal five years of his life away? Why? The questions raced around in his head with a growing fear and urgency. He needed to get a hold of his brothers. What if they were…no, no way was he even going to allow that thought to cross his mind. He jumped to his feet at that moment and started for the stairs.

"Whoa hold on there a second Leo! Where are you going?"

Leo stopped and turned on his heel to face Ethan.

"I need to get a hold of my brothers Ethan, I need to find out if my family is ok. I need to let them know that I'm ok. I've been lost to them for five years."

Ethan's jaw dropped when Leo said that. Five years of his family not knowing whether he was alive or not? How….

"Here you can use my phone. Long distance doesn't matter or anything." He handed Leo his cell phone.

"Thanks. Really thanks for everything Ethan. I'm probably going to need your help still."

"Oh, man you're so welcome and seriously anything you need let me know. Money really won't be an issue. I'll do all that I can."

Leo gave him a nod as he dialed the number to the lair.

"What state are we in now?"

"California. The L.A. area."

Another nod was given to Ethan as Leo sat down in one of the chairs. With each ring his heart fell further towards the floor. What if his family wasn't there…what if-?

"Hello?"

Leo's breath caught in his throat when he heard his brother's gruff voice, the thick New York accent music to his ears.

"Hello? Who is this?"

"Raph…it's…it's me. It's Leo."

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Raph's heart stopped for a split second when he heard his brother's voice on the other end of the line. For a moment he wasn't sure if he had the strength to say anything at all, but swallowed finally and took a deep breath.

"It's good to hear your voice bro'. It's good ta have ya back."


	2. Chapter 2

The moment she had entered the room she stole his attention away from the computer screen, something he was totally un-prepared for. Her hair was long, straight and black as midnight. Striking pale green eyes contrasted savagely against her pale skin and black hair. The look in them was just close of un-settling. Her full lips carried a heavy frown, never seeming to see the light of a smile, or having the knowledge of the curve in a grin, but it was all strangely attractive and Leo couldn't find a way to release the hold she had on his sapphire blue eyes. She finally turned and met his intense gaze, hers faltering, the frown forming a small "O" of surprise. Ethan followed soon after the young women, giving Leo a wave.

"Hey Leo, find out anything new?"

Leo shook his head slowly leaning his shell against the back of the couch, palms digging into his tired eyes.

"No, nothing. Don hasn't had much luck either."

Ethan and Leo had discovered two stamps on the bottom of the crate Leo had traveled in. It told them two things; where he'd been and where he was headed. Neither of which, after much research, held any clues as to what Leo had been put through. To add on to the frustration was hearing about Mike and Raph's issues with drugs and alcohol, Splinter's failing health, and the fact that Donnie had been struggling to keep the family together since Leo's disappearance. As if he hadn't felt guilty enough….

The young woman who had come in with Ethan was silent and still standing near the kitchen doorway staring at Leo with wide, frightened eyes. Leo tried to ignore it, but you can only handle one's discomfort for so long before it wears you down. He sighed and opened his mouth to say something but Ethan beat him to it.

"Bailey! Hey!"

She jumped and turned her fiery eyes to Ethan.

"You're being rude" he gave her an annoyed look as he took a seat next to Leo.

She swallowed hard and took a deep breath before she spoke.

"I uh…I…."

"You'll have to excuse my sister Leo, she's usually not this stupid" he gave his sister a smirk before turning back to the turtle with a grin.

"Ah…heh…she's ok. You can't blame her for being…confused" Leo couldn't quite find the word to explain how she must be feeling.

Bailey set her jaw tight and turned a steady, warm gaze on the soft-spoken turtle.

"You're damn right I'm confused! What the hell are you supposed to be anyhow? And exactly why are you here at my brother's place? What is going on?"

She crossed slender, yet muscular, arms across her chest making her look more stubborn than upset.

Leo gave Ethan a 'help me' look not entirely sure how to handle the situation; females had never been his forte.

"Leo is a friend that's fallen into some trouble, that's all."

Bailey gave him an incredulous look, then turned back to Leo. Yea…there was no way he was getting out of this one safely.

"Look I'm not here to bring harm I just need to get home and figure out what's happened since I've been missing. I'm not an alien so I won't be trying to take over earth, I'm just a mutant turtle on the wrong side of the country" he looked up at her with those last words, his eyes cold and full of truth.

Bailey stood there for a moment considering his words, letting them sink in, allowing her fierce eyes to sink into his cold ones. Cold…she never knew someone's eyes could look so cold. A shiver rushed through her body causing her to grip her arms tighter and closer to herself.

"Mutant turtle huh?"

Leo nodded, he could feel her unease building, almost brimming over the top as if it would spill all over him, all over everything and drown them.

"It's a long story to explain right now, but if you join us on the trip back east then perhaps I'll tell you."

Shit did he seriously just say that? Out loud? Damn it he needed to be more careful, shouldn't just assume she'd want to, or that Ethan would want her to. He opened his mouth to apologize for saying it but instead a wall of white pain hit him full force in the head wrenching a ragged cry from his throat. The last moment he remembered before being engulfed in inky darkness was Bailey holding his head in her lap and Ethan looking down at him with wide, fearful eyes, his jaw working frantically and soundlessly.

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"Because I said so Mike!"

"This is bullshit Raph, since when did you become such a prick?"

"Since you decided to get your head stuck so far up your ass that you couldn't find a way out! Now start again."

The younger turtle threw his weapons angrily to the floor and glared at his brother.

"No."

"'Scuse me?"

"I said no Raphael."

Raph's jaw clenched and unclenched as he silently fought to keep his anger in control. What the hell had gotten into his brother anyhow? He took a couple deep breaths before opening his mouth. He needed to keep it together or else the whole point of the lesson would be lost. God he wished Leo were home now and not still stuck in California. If anyone could straighten Mike out it'd be him.

"Alright Mike let's try somethin' new then."

The glare only became more potent as Raph put his weapons back in his belt and stepped closer to the seething turtle.

"Why don't you try an' get me on the ground and pin me, if ya can I'll let ya alone for the rest of the day."

A wicked smirk grew on Mike's mouth as he settled in a sparring stance. This would be easy as pie…man he could really go for some pie.

"But…."

An immediate groan came from Mike as Raph said the most irritating three-letter word ever put in the dictionary.

"If I get you on the ground and pinned then the lesson continues, whether you're willin' or not. Got it?"

"Bring it on bro'."

Raphael gave a gleeful smile as he fell into a similar sparring stance. His brother was in a world of serious hurt.

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Don grabbed the phone on the fifth ring, irritated by the fact that his brothers were too busy duking it out to answer it. He was never going to get the virus off the computer that Mikey had caught while surfing the web.

"Hello?"

"Uh…is this one of Leo's brothers?"

The panicked voice made Don forget about the computer and focus on the problem that was sure to come.

"Yes, this is his brother Don. Is this Ethan?"

"Yea man…listen…you're brother is, shit he's having some major seizures right now and its all my sister and I can do to keep him still enough that he doesn't hurt himself. What should we do?"

"He's burning up Ethan…."

Don could hear a female voice in the background, which he assumed was Ethan's sister, who sounded equally panicked and worried. Great that's just what they needed, more humans involved with their lives.

"You need to get him cooled down Ethan. Cool washcloth on his forehead to start. When he stops seizing put him in the bathtub and fill it with cool water."

"I don't think he'll fit in my tub Don…his shell-."

"Listen Ethan you have _got_ to get his body temperature lowered, even if it means putting him in the shower and turning it full blast on cold."

"Alright…lemme hand you over to Bails while I get the washcloth and get the shower ready."

"Well he needs to stop seizing before…."

"Uh…hi?"

He grunted, not happy with being handed over to the young woman.

"How's he doing?"

"Uh…I dunno he's sweating a lot but the seizing isn't as bad as when it first started."

"When it _first_ started? How long has this been going on?"

"Fifteen, twenty minutes? I don't know…it took Ethan forever to find your number."

Don gave a weary sigh as he rubbed his forehead with two thick fingers. Twenty minutes worried him considerably, especially when you added the fever.

"Are you still there?"

"Yea…just trying to think, sorry."

"It's ok…so um…you're Leonardo's brother?"

His eyes narrowed slightly at the timid question, unsure if he was really willing to continue with an answer.

"H-hello?"

"Uh…yea…yes. My name is Donatello, but Don is just fine."

"It's nice to uh…meet you heh, I'm Bailey."

"Nice to meet you as well Bailey."

Don gritted his teeth at the awkwardness of the conversation. Talking to people really wasn't his forte; it was Mike's, that is, if he still had his good nature left.

"How's Leo doing? Has the seizing stopped?"

Back into safer territory, that's what eased his mind.

"Yes he's quiet now and Ethan brought a cold washcloth. I think he's in the bathroom getting the shower ready."

Don released a sigh of relief as he relaxed against the wall near the pay phone he had rigged up in the lair. He just hoped Leo woke up.

"Do you all look the same?"

He blinked a few times, caught off guard by the question she blurted out. If he could have seen her face perhaps he wouldn't have been so harsh with his next words but phone calls are limited in their ability to show people's true emotions.

"Look I'm really not comfortable answering any of your questions, I'm only on the phone talking to you because I'm concerned about my brother. So unless you have something to offer that's useful…"

"Hey I'm sorry ok? I was just suddenly thrown in this fucking mess without so much as an explanation and suddenly find myself cradling the head of a monster, hoping to hell he doesn't die! I'm just trying to understand!"

"Jesus Bailey what the fuck? Here gimmie that! Hello? Don?"

"Yes I'm still here…unfortunately."

That last word said under his breath as the brother's voice rung out worriedly on the receiver.

"Sorry about that she just…"

"No need to explain just get Leo in the shower and call me back in an hour if he hasn't woken up. We'll make plans from there."

"Alright…ok…um talk to you then."

Don sighed as he hung up the phone dejectedly. He only hoped that they didn't need to arrange plans to reach their brother, he was counting on Leo to wake up.

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With a rage that Raph had never seen spark within his young brother, Mike rushed at him, head lowered and fists ready to deliver a solid punch. He easily blocked the rush and flipped Mikey over on his shell, pinning him to the floor. The younger turtle struggled against his hold, spittle flying as he screamed furiously.

"Jesus Mikey what the fuck has gotten into ya? Where did all this anger come from? Were ya in my room last night stealin' it from me ya fuckin' bastard?"

"Fuck you Raph! FUCK YOU! You think you're so god damn great, goin' out an' getting trashed leavin' me alone, just like Leo did. Just. Like. Fuckin' Leo. I **_hate_** both of you!"

Raph stared down at his enraged brother, his steel blue eyes wide with shock.

"Mike I didn't-."

"Just shut up Raph. SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!"

Raph pushed off his brother, leaving him to sob angrily on the floor, and slowly backing off.

"What the hell is going on in here? You've got Master Splinter upset. Mike? Mikey!"

Don started toward his broken brother but was stopped short by Raph's arm. He turned to tell him off when he caught the disheartened look on his face. Instead he placed a hand on Raph's shoulder and looked down at Michelangelo.

"We need to talk…it'll give him a chance to cool off."

Raph gave a nod and turned to follow Don back out in the living room.

"W-wait…please."

The brothers stopped and turned to look down at the miserable turtle.

"Don't leave me alone anymore…god please…please don-."

He broke off in a small sob of defeat covering his face with his calloused hands.

Raph and Don kneeled down next to their brother and held on to him and to each other. All of them terrified of losing the other, Donnie even more afraid of losing Leo for good. He held tight to his brothers as he softly whispered the grim news of Leo's health and the decisions that would need to be made if their brother did not wake within the next hour. The whole time their sensei and father listened quietly and prayed for divine help of his son's safe return home. He was unsure of the time he had left in his long lived life and hoped Leo would return before his last breath was given.

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First came the throbbing pain pummeling the inside of his head, then it was the violent retching as his stomach's contents slithered their way up his throat and out his mouth, sinking into the water that thrashed about his sore body. It was then he became fully aware of the cold water gently pelting him. Somehow he had ended up on the floor of the shower stall in Ethan's large bathroom.

"Thank god you're awake!"

Bailey's worried voice brought his face up to find her sitting on the toilet next to him. Small piles of thick towels were pushed against the side of the metal-rimmed stall to soak the water that sloshed onto the tiled floor.

"Wha-what happened?"

"Leo! Thank god! You scared the _shit_ out of us!"

He gave them both a blank look, completely lost on the situation unfolding before him.

"You…shit Leo, we thought you were going to die. You were seizin' so bad that we had to sit on you to keep you from hurting yourself. And then the fever, Don told me to put you in the shower to get ya cooled down…I gotta go call 'im, let 'im know you're awake."

With that statement made Ethan was back out the door to call Don leaving Leo alone again with Bailey who nervously chewed on her lower lip.

"I was?"

She gave a meek nod keeping her eyes to the floor.

"Damn…."

"I'm sorry Leo."

He gave a confused look, blinking away drops of water was they slid over his eyelids.

"I yelled at your brother and called you a monster. I hadn't meant it I was just…", she waved her hand helplessly in the air searching for the right words, "at a loss."

All he could do was stare at her. He couldn't find any words to respond with but his stomach was ready to offer more of its contents. Over the roaring in his ears Leo heard her get up from her seat and turn the water off, her voice soothing his ragged body.

"I'll go get some dry towels and help you get cleaned up and to bed."

He slumped against the cool tile walls of the shower and sighed. More than anything he wanted to be home with his brothers and their comfort that they always gave him.


End file.
